57 Years and Counting

On the Road — May 2004

Road & Track's first issue was published with a cover date of June 1947. It was a thin magazine but the few enthusiasts who discovered it on local newsstands warmly welcomed it. Why? Because it brought a whole new way of looking at cars. And it showed interest in what was going on in European racing circles, not just the domestic racing series.

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My oldest brother, Donald, tells me the first issue of Road & Track he ever brought home was the May 1956 issue with the D-Type on the cover, so that was the first one my middle brother, John, and I read. All three of us became devoted sports-car fans at that time, thanks in large part to this publication. Brother John and I were only 13 and 12 years of age, respectively, but we were crazy about cars and longing for that 16th birthday that meant we could qualify for a driver's license.

Donald joined the U.S. Air Force and ended up stationed in Vermont, where he got involved in racing through the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA). The rest of our family moved off to Santa Barbara, California (we clearly got the best part of that deal), and John and I continued our car-crazy ways. Actually, all three of us haven't changed much since then when it comes to loving cars.

As we were putting together this June 2004 issue of R&T, I couldn't help looking back at the first one. And while the magazine you read today is considerably different, the spirit behind it is much the same. We still care more about cars than most anything else. We still subscribe to John R. Bond's dictum that Road & Track would focus on cars with above-average performance and handling, cars that exhibited space and fuel efficiency. Or were just so damn exciting to drive we couldn't resist driving and reporting on them — cars like , , , etc.

And this is still the American enthusiast magazine that digs deeply into what's going on behind the scenes in racing — from Formula 1 to NASCAR and most everything in between. We still look for the latest and greatest in new car designs, engineering and production. We continue to provide the most thorough road test reports you can read, along with long-term tests of new models, our Used Car Classic feature about exciting cars that may have now come down in price to match your budget, and Owner Survey reports that tell you how cars hold up after the new wears off.

Multi-car comparison tests, such as the test that anchors this month's cover, are a whole lot of work for the staff but are without a doubt our favorite stories to produce. Think of it: a bunch of new cars, a group of colleagues you enjoy working with and several days of driving around the countryside. No wonder people we encounter at refueling stops invariably end up telling us how lucky we are and asking how they can join the group.

Having been a reader of Road & Track since 1956 and having been employed here for 32 years, I can also assure you that we never forget that our readers are what make all of this worthwhile. We know we have the most enthusiastic and knowledgeable readers in the world, and that keeps us on our toes. We hate it when some of you write to point out an error we've made, while at the same time loving the fact that you care enough to do so.

We hope you enjoy this "anniversary" issue of R&T with its comparison-test cover story, and the road tests of the stunning and the more affordable . You'll also find First Drives of a wide variety of cars, including a world exclusive opportunity for us to spend a week living with hydrogen-powered fuel-cell car. And don't miss our Sport column this month, where we feature an in-depth look at Tony George, owner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and founder of the Indy Racing League, as we look ahead to the running of "the greatest spectacle in racing," the Indianapolis 500.